Cultural Issues – Page 2 – BiblicalCulture

The death penalty has been largely abolished in the Western world. The UK officially abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 1998. Australia, my home country, abolished the death penalty in 1985, and made it impossible to reintroduce in 2010. The USA has abolished the death penalty in 23 states with 27 states and the military still allowing it. However, just because the Western world has reached a near consensus on an issue does not mean Christians should adopt it. Thus, we must go to the Bible to determine whether or not Christians should support the death penalty. Christians should support the death penalty and seek out the death penalty for people and animals who kill other people because God commands all of humanity to put to death those who kill people (Gen 9:5–6). God has instituted the government to administer the death penalty (Rom 13:1–7). God’s Mandate to Put Killers to Death (Gen 9:1–7) The Punishment for Killing a Human Being The clearest passage in the Bible about the death penalty is Genesis 9:1–7. Once the worldwide flood waters subsided, Noah and his family exited the ark and offered a burnt offering to God (8:20). After the burnt offering, God made a number of declarations and promises: God promises to never curse the ground or kill every living creature again (Gen 8:21–22) God commands Noah and his sons to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Gen 9:1) God declares that all living creatures will fear humans (Gen 9:2) God gives all creatures as food to humans (Gen 9:3) God warns humans not to eat animals with their blood still in them (Gen 9:4) God requires any animal or human who kills a human to be put to death (Gen 9:5–6) God commands Noah and his sons a second time to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Gen 9:7) God’s sixth declaration is the one that most concerns us in this article and is worth quoting in full: “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” GENESIS 9:5–6, emphasis added After flooding the world and restarting creation with Noah and his family, God declares that from this point onward he (God) will require a reckoning for the lifeblood of humans, whether from animal or fellow human. The mention of “lifeblood” refers to the death of the person. The term “reckoning” refers to punishment. Thus, when God says, “And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning,” he is saying “for the killing of a person, I will require punishment.” The rest of the passage makes it clear that war is not in view. For my views on war, click here. God then goes on to state that he requires “reckoning” or punishment from both animals (“every beast”) and people (“man”). Thus, any animal or person who kills a person must be punished: “from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man” (Gen 9:5). The punishment that is to be exacted for killing a person is death: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Gen 9:6). God clearly states that if an animal or person kills someone, that animal or person must be put to death by the hands of a person. The NET puts Genesis 9:6 well: “Whoever sheds human blood [whether animal or person], by other humans must his blood be shed.” The Reason for Putting Killers to Death Genesis 9:5–6 gives two important reasons for putting killers to death. The first reason for putting human killers to death is because they have killed their “brother,” that is, their relative. The NET puts Genesis 9:5b best: “From each person I will exact punishment for the life of the individual since the man was his relative.” GENESIS 9:5b, NET, emphasis added The NET rightly splits the exacting of punishment from animals and from humans in Genesis 9:5. After stating that animals must be put to death for killing people, God then addresses humans with a purpose clause, saying that humans must also be put to death if they kill another human because the person killed would be “his relative” (אָחִיו). Genesis 9:5 rightly understands all people to be related. Since the only people alive on the plant in Genesis 9 are Noah, his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives, all people on the planet can trace their lineage back to Noah, which means everyone is related. Thus, killing another human being is killing one’s relative. Because it is a gross sin to kill one’s relative, God says that the killer must be put to death. The second reason for putting killers to death (whether animals or people) is because all people are created in the image of God: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” GENESIS 9:6, emphasis added The fact that all people are created in the image of God is justification for putting killers to death, whether animals or people, whether in malice or innocence. Although the text does not elaborate why being in the image of God justifies the death of killers, it is not hard to imagine. Killing a person bearing the image of God is an affront to God! God, who is perfect and holy, will not have his image, his glory, or his honour marred or desecrated. Those who do so must be punished. And God decrees that death is the punishment. Killers, not Just Murderers, Shall Be Put to Death The above interpretation that any person or animal who kills a person shall be put to death because people are created in the image of God is not just limited to murderers (those who kill in cold blood); it includes any person or animal who kills another person, regardless of intent. We see this clearly throughout the Old Testament, especially in the Sinai laws. Consistent with his decree from Genesis 9:5–6, God declares that any ox that gores a person to death shall itself be put to death: “When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. . . . If the ox gores a slave, male or female, the owner shall give to their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.” EXODUS 21:28–29, 32, emphasis added God is clear that any ox that kills a person, even if that person is a slave, shall be put to death. In the case that the owner has been warned his ox is accustomed to gore, the ox and the owner shall be put to death. The same is true for people. If a person kills another person, the killer shall be put to death. Note what God says to his people in the Sinai law: “But if he [the killer] struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.” NUMBERS 35:16–21 Note that those who intentionally strike another person with an instrument that could kill, whether the intent was murder or not, shall be put to death. But what about those who strike by accident and kill another person? That person, too, deserves to die, but God in his graciousness provides a means for the unintentional striker to live—cities of refuge. “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. . . . But if he [the killer] pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm, then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules. And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. And these things shall be for a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.” NUMBERS 35:10–11, 22–29, emphasis added God in his graciousness allows a person who killed a person by accident to flee to a city of refuge to await a trial. If he is tried as killing without intent, then the killer must live in the city of refuge to which he fled until the high priest dies. If the killer leaves the city prior to the death of the high priest, then the killer may be put to death. God concludes the section on cities of refuge by reminding the people that killers may not be redeemed and the only way that atonement can be made for killing another person is to put the killer to death: “Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the LORD dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.” NUMBERS 35:31–34, emphasis added Summary of Genesis 9:5–6 In Genesis 9:5–6, God mandates the death penalty for killing a person because people are made in the image of God. An extra reason for putting to death a person who kills another person is because that person has killed his relative. The death penalty is only allowed for killing a person. It is not permitted for any other reason. Both animals and people are to be put to death if they kill a person. The Death Penalty in the Sinai Laws The Sinai Covenant, which is God’s covenant with Israel after he freed them from Egyptian slavery (Ex 19:1–24:8), lists various reasons for putting people to death other than for killing another person, such as committing idolatry, cursing one’s parents (Lev 20:9), committing adultery (Lev 20:10), various sexual sins (Lev 20:11–21), engaging in sorcery or necromancy (Lev 20:27), etc. Christians do not need to keep these laws and put people to death for these sins because Christians are under the New Covenant (Luke 22:20; Heb 8:1–13), not the Sinai Covenant. Only those who are under the Sinai Covenant obey the laws of the Sinai Covenant. This leads us to the New Testament where it speaks primarily about the New Covenant and those under it. Does God’s Grace in the New Testament Negate the Death Penalty? It should first be noted that the New Testament never commands God’s people (those who are disciples of Jesus, under the New Covenant, members of the Church, and citizens of the kingdom of God) to put anyone to death like it does of those under the Sinai Covenant in the Old Testament. The New Testament certainly declares who is deserving of death(Rom 1:18–32, see verse 32), but there is no passage in the New Testament that commands God’s people to put certain people to death. The lack of command for the death penalty usually raises the question, “does the grace found in the New Testament negate the death penalty?” Unfortunately, the answer is not a simple “yes” or “no.” The grace in the New Testament is the grace God extends to all people through the death of Jesus. This grace is to have full forgiveness of sins and a restored relationship with God, resulting in God’s wrath being removed from upon you and not being cast into the Lake of Fire, which is called the second death. This grace is offered to anyone who repents of their sins and believes in Jesus, his death and resurrection. So, yes, the grace offered in the New Testament results in God not putting you to death, meaning he will ensure you avoid the second death. However, the grace of God as described above does not abolish the death penalty for anyone who kills another person or who disobeys the government. Allow me to treat the government aspect here and the application of Genesis 9:5–6 in the next section. Romans 13:1–7 is part of Paul’s exhortation to Christians of all eras. In Romans 13:1–7, Paul commands Christians to submit to morally upright governments (see my explanation of this passage HERE). Thus, if one’s government uses the death penalty as a means of punishment, then all Christians should submit to their government because that government has been instituted by God (Rom 13:1–2) and is considered God’s servant to whom He has given “the sword” (13:4). Thus, morally upright governments are allowed to put people to death if they deem it right. What should be noted is that God has given government the responsibility of meting out the death penalty. Thus, Christians are not allowed to be vigilantes and take justice into their own hands. They must submit to government and allow government to put people to death as government sees fit. It will be my argument in the next section of this article that the Bible permits governments to put killers to death. Does God’s Mandate to Put Killers to Death Apply to Christians? The question that most concerns modern Christians is whether or not the mandate of Genesis 9:5–6 to put killers to death applies to Christians because it is given prior to the Sinai Covenant and is not repeated in the New Testament? To determine whether or not it applies, we must go through the steps of the salvation-historical application method (click here to see the steps and an explanation of the steps). First, the command of Genesis 9:5–6 was issued to all of humanity (Noah and his family) immediately after the flood and prior to any covenants or laws. The command was also issued because humans are made in the image of God and all people are related. Second, I am part of humanity and as such am related to all people. I was also made in the image or God and, thus, bear God’s image. I am also a disciple of Jesus, under the New Covenant, a member of the Church, and a citizen of the kingdom of God. Third, yes, the command of Genesis 9:5–6 aligns with my place in salvation history because it transcends any covenant, is for all of humanity of which I am a part, and because I am in the image of God. Fourth, Genesis 9:5–6 is imperative. Thus, it is telling me to do something—do not kill people and put to death those who do kill people. Fifth, there is nothing in the text that limits it to a specific person or people group, a certain time in history, a certain place, or to a certain culture. Sixth, based on all of the above, modern Christians must apply Genesis 9:5–6 at a 1:1 ratio, meaning animals and people who kill people must be put to death. Because of Romans 13:1–7, we know that it is the government’s responsibility to put killers to death. It is also the government’s right to waive the death penalty for accidental killings. However, because Genesis 9:5–6 is applicable to modern Christians, modern Christians should advocate for the death penalty when people kill other people and should seek to pass laws that administer the death penalty when people kill other people. Summary and Concluding Thoughts Christians should support the death penalty and seek out the death penalty for people and animals who kill other people because God commands all of humanity to put to death those who kill people (Gen 9:5–6). God’s rationale for the death penalty is that people are made in the image of God and, thus, killing a person is an afront to God (9:6). Further, all people are related and, thus, killing another person is killing one’s relative (9:5). Christians do not need to adhere to the death penalty laws of the Sinai Covenant because they are not under that covenant, but the New Covenant. Christians are also not allowed to administer the death penalty themselves because God has instituted the government for this task (Rom 13:1–7). Because Genesis 9:5–6 applies to all people as long as they are in the image of God and related (which will be for all time), all Christians should support the death penalty and seek to pass laws so that the government will enforce the death penalty. As my introduction noted, much of the Western world has abolished the death penalty in the case of people killing other people, whether for murder or by accident. This makes sense since the majority of the Western world has forsaken God and does not believe people are made in God’s image. The Western world has raised mankind higher than God; they worship the creature rather than the Creator, which is why the death penalty has been abolished. Because Christians should support the death penalty when a person is killed, Christians should petition their Christian legislators to fight for it to become law or to remain law. What is at stake is God’s glory and God’s honour.